UPDATE – 8:38 p.m.
Additional road closures as a result of heavy rain and the possibility of extended power outages are what Hays County officials are expecting during the overnight hours, according to a press release.
The information, which was disseminated in a press release, comes as Tropical Storm Harvey has stalled over the Central Texas region and is dropping torrential rainfall.
On Saturday, the National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for several areas that include Kyle and San Marcos. The flash flood warning is in effect until 4:45 a.m. Sunday.
Harvey, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, has dropped closed to seven inches of rain at the LCRA rain gauge in Buda at Onion Creek over the past 24 hours. An LCRA rain gauge in Kyle at the Blanco River has received close to five inches of rain.
Kharley Smith, Hays County Emergency Management Coordinator, said in a statement she was concerned about the possibility of "intense rain" during the overnight hours and into next week.
“The conditions of this tropical storm will likely bring a high volume of water into our already saturated areas,” Smith said in a statement. “Additional road closures are expected overnight Saturday and we recommend that people stay off the roads if driving isn’t urgent and if you must drive, watch for debris in roadways. Never cross a roadway that is covered by water – turn around, don’t drown, and don’t endanger first responders by making a poor choice.”
The storm has also brought tropical storm force winds to the Buda and Kyle area. Reports estimate wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour. The winds have caused property damage across the county, with many residents reporting downed fences and trees.
High winds have also caused power outages across Hays County. Officials believe possible outages could last for extended periods of time as dangerous wind conditions is delaying crews from restoring power.
County officials are recommending residents stay off of the roads and maintain high vigilance.
UPDATE – 5:29 p.m.
Hays County officials are urging caution as the high probability of intense rain during the nighttime hours is anticipated. The trend is expected to continue into tomorrow and the next several days.
According to the county, conditions of Tropical Storm Harvey will bring additional water to an already saturated area. According to the Lower Colorado River Authority's hydromet, close to five inches of rain has fallen at Onion Creek near Buda in the last 12 hours, while close to four inches of rain has fallen at the Blanco River near Kyle.
Hays County officials are recommending people stay off the roads and maintain high vigilance, as it is difficult to see water over a roadway especially at night.
Rains and wind have caused road closures across Buda and Kyle.
Dripping Springs has seen roughly three inches of rain.
TxDOT officials are working to clear a downed traffic signal at the FM 967 and FM 1626 intersection near Buda.
UPDATE – 12:55 p.m.
Harvey is no longer a hurricane.
According to reports, Harvey, which had decreased in power from a Category 4 storm at landfall, has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.
In Buda and Kyle, city officials are reporting a few downed trees in the area, but no major issues at this point.
David Marino, Buda Public Information officer, said city crews cleared a few trees from the road. One of those trees was blocking the intersection of China and San Marcos Street.
Marino said the city is reporting no major issues right now; Buda city staff is making sure they have enough people on hand throughout the day.
In Kyle, preparation for the storm, which includes clearing debris from culverts and draining Lake Kyle by four feet, is so far paying off, said Travis Mitchell, Kyle City Council member District 1.
Mitchell said the city is getting reports of several malfunctioning traffic signals. Crews are on the scene attending to the signals.
Kim Hilsenbeck, Kyle communications specialist, said city crews are on hand and public works is monitoring low water crossings.
City staff, including City Manager Scott Sellers, Chief of Staff Jerry Hendrix and Police Chief Jeff Barnett are working at the city's Emergency Operations Center.
"Overall, we're happy with what we're seeing," Mitchell said.
Timothy Stuckey contributed to this report
UPDATE – 11:02 a.m.
Pedernales Electric Cooperative's outage website is reporting outages in several areas.
Roughly 137 meters are without power in the Kyle area, primarily east of Interstate 35. PEC is reporting 89 meters are without power in the Buda area, including those in the Creekside Park subdivision.
A large outage is also affecting the Blanco Vista neighborhood south of Kyle.
Updates on power outages in the area can be found on the PEC website.
UPDATE – 9:05 a.m.
The Hays County and city of San Marcos joint emergency operations center is now activated and will be staffed 24 hours a day until further notice, according to a county press release.
Overnight, sporadic heavy rains led to the closure of several low water crossings in the county. According to the county, no unusual events have occurred and no shelters are open at this time. However, officials anticipate higher winds and heavier rainfall later Saturday.
Residents are cautioned to be aware of flying debris and potential debris in the roadway as a result of the high winds. Downed power lines should also be avoided as they could be active, even if down. Residents should call 911 to report downed powerlines.
Non-emergency disaster-related questions can be called into 512.754.2291.
Countywide emergency information can be found at haysinformed.com. Information on low water crossing closures can be found on atxfloods.com.
Current road and low water crossing closures (as of 9:05 a.m.)
Kyle
• Post Road at the Blanco River (closed for construction)
• High Road at Goforth Road (closed for construction)
Buda
• Main Street at Campo Del Sol Parkway – Buda
Wimberley
• River Road at Loma Vista
UPDATE – 8:15 a.m.
Due to the threat of severe weather, Buda city officials are opting to keep the Buda Public Library closed during the morning hours, said David Marino, Buda public information officer.
Officials will decide on whether to open the library later today. Buda residents who have questions or would like to report a situation may call 512.845.0368.
Additionally, TxDOT officials are also urging residents to avoid travel on the roads, if possible.
Other closures and cancellations (as of 8:15 a.m.):
• All Hays CISD weekend extracurricular events (including SAT testing) have been canceled
• Texas State has canceled classes for Monday.
Earlier
Steady, and at times heavy, rainfall, along with gusty winds are what Hays County residents can expect as rain bands from Hurricane Harvey push north.
According to reports, Harvey, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, has now weakened to a Category 1.
While the storm has
weakened, officials are expecting consistent rainfall throughout the morning hours in the Central Texas area. Weather reports estimate as much as seven to ten inches of rain or more could fall over the next 36-plus hours in Hays County. Reports estimate Hays County could experience tropical storm-force winds that could be as high as 30 to 50 miles per hour, with gusts up to 60 miles per hour.
Hays County is currently under an Urban and Small Stream flood advisory until 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Hays County remains under a Flash Flood Watch and Tropical Storm Warning until Tuesday.
The threat of severe weather has affected events and extracurricular activities in Hays CISD.
Hays CISD officials announced all extracurricular activities for Saturday and Sunday have been canceled.
We will provide updates as they become available.